Drier.



y PATBNTBD JUNE 6, 1905. W. P. ROBINSON.

` DMER. Y y APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1904.

2 sHnB'rs-Bnn'r 1.

E A A E mlm PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905. W. F. ROBINSON.

DRIER. Y

APPLICATION HLED sBPT.1o.'1904. v l

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.`

UNITED YSTATES Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM F. ROBINSON, OF ANAOORTES, WASHINGTON.

DRIER.

' eP-ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,578, dated June 6, 1905.

i Application 'lled September l0, 1904:. Serial No. 223,991. l

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anacortes, in the county of Skagit and State of Washington, have invented a new and yuseful Drier, of which the followingis aspecification.

This invention is primarily intended 'and particularly adapted for drying fish andthe products obtained therefrom, though undoubtedly useful for many otheranalogous purposes.

The object is to provide a novel structure of a simple nature whereby properly-prepared drying-air is efiicaciously passed over the material to 'be dried and is then expelled from the drier without danger of its being repassed about the material. The result is a drier that is very rapid and efficient in action, together with a resultant high-grade product.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and is described in the following specification.

In said drawings, Figure lfis a top plan view of the drier. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the drier. Fig. 4 is' a vertical sectional view therethrough. Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, through one of the walls; and Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view through one of the doors.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures vof the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated a dryingchamber 7 is provided, comprising annular side walls constructed as follows: Upright spaced studs 9 are employed, to the outer faces ofcwhich is secured an outer imperforate casing l0. An inner perforate sheathing 11 is secured to the inner sides of the studs and preferably consists of slats or latticework, the spaces between the slats constituting means of communication between the interior of the chamber and the space between the casing and sheathing. In the views the size of the annular side wall is materially eX- 4a, ;erated in order to more clearly show the Windows l2 and doorways 13, 'the latter being closed by doors, preferably double and hinged, as shown at 14, to the sides of the doorway. These doors have horizontally-disposed framepieces 1'5, provided with openings 16 therethrough, casing-sections 17 being secured to the outer sides of the frame-pieces and perforate sheathing-sections 18 being secured to the inner sides of the door. A suitable fastener 19 connects the doors of each set for the purpose of securing the same in closed position.

A cover 20 for the chamber has suitable windows 21 therein, said cover terminating at the sheathing, and consequently short of, the casing. `The result is that the spaces between the sheathing and casing have upwardlyopening discharge-outlets 22. A Hoor or bottom 23 of the chamber is provided With a centrally-disposed inlet-opening 24, with which communicates an air-supply conduit 25, leading beneath the ioor, thence upwardly above the chamber, said casing having therein a heater in the form of a coil of pipe 26. A fan located centrally within the chamber consists of an upright shaft 27, the lower end of which is journaled in the discharge end of the supply-conduit, its upper end being suitably journaled, as shown at 28, above the top of the chamber. Fan-blades 29 are secured to arms 30, that radiate from the shaft, said blades being preferably curved rearwardly, I

as shown in Fig. 2. The fan is rotated in any suitable manners-as, for instance, bya drivebelt 31, operated from a suitable motor and passing about a pulley 32, secured to the shaft 27 above the top of the chamber.

In using this drier the material to be dried is first placed in the chamber about the fan and steam or other heating medium supplied to the heater 26. The fan is then rotated in the direction indicated vby the arrow in Fig. 2, whereupon the air will be thrown outwardly in a gyratory path of movement toward the annular side walls, the place of the air thus moved being taken by more air supplied through the conduit, which air is heated during its passage. The air driven by the fan will of course pass about the material located in the chamber and in reaching the annular side walls will meet with no obstruc- IOO tion. It will first impinge against the inner sheathing and, escaping through the spaces between the slats, enter the spaces between said sheathing and casing, finally finding an exit through the top of the side walls. This particular arrangement has proven to be very efcacious, as it is found that when a solid wall is employed the air when striking the Same, and particularly where there are angles, will rebound so as to repass the material to be dried. This air heavily laden with moisture has a deleterious effect upon the material and, furthermore, im pedes its drying. In the present structure, however, the objectionable rebounding or repassing of the'air is eliminated, as it becomes entrapped in the annular side walls and finally escapes; Thus properlyprepared air is continually being' introduced through the conduit to the chamber, and the same passes but once over the material. Therefore the drying action is very rapid, and the sproduct is in excellent condition when taken from the drier.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportions, and minor detailsv of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a drier, a drying-chamber having side walls consisting of an outer casing and an inner perforate sheathing spaced from the casing, a substantially imperforate top for the chamber that prohibits the escape of air therethrough, said chamber having an outlet permitting the escape of air solely through the space between the casing and sheathing, and

means for introducing air into the casing.

2. In a drier, a drying-chamber having side walls consisting of an outer casing and an inner perforate sheathing yspaced from the casing, a substantially imperforate top for the chamber that prohibits the escape of air therethrough, said top terminating short of the casing, thereby forming an outlet from the space between the casing and sheathing, and means for admitting air to the chamber and directing it toward said side walls.

3. In adrier, adrying-chamber,annularside walls including an inner perforate sheathing, a substantially imperforate top for the chainber that prohibits the escape of air therethrough, said top terminating at the sheathing and thereby prohibiting the escape of air except through said sheathing, an air-conduit having communication with the lower portion of the chamber, and a fan located within the chamber and directing air outwardly toward the sheathing.

4. In a drier, a circular chamber having annular walls consisting of upright studs, an outer imperforate casing secured to the studs, an inner sheathing consisting of spaced slats secured to the studs, a cover for the chamber terminating at the upper ends of the studs, and a rotary fan located centrally in and directing currents of air toward the annular walls.

5. In a drier, a chamber having side walls comprising a casing, a perforatc sheathing spaced from the casing, and a door comprising perforate frame-pieces, an outer casingsection secured tothe outer side of the framepieces, and an inner perforate sheathing-scction secured to the inner sides of the framepieces.

6. In a drier, a circular chamber having an annular sidewall comprising an outer` imperforate casing, an inner slatted sheathing spaced from the casing, said wall having a doorway, and a door for the doorway coinprising horizontally -disposed framepieces that are perforated, a casing-section secured to the outer sides of the frame-pieces, a perforate sheathing-section secured to the inner sides of the frame-pieces, in combination with a rotary fan located within the chamber and directing air toward the annular wall thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

J. E. TRAFTON, J. E. TRoLsAN. 

